 |
|
|
|
| Myth |
Wife
assault is a new social problem |
| Fact |
Wife
assault is NOT new. In Canada, it wasn't until 1968, when the
Federal Divorce Act was passed, that physical and mental cruelty
became grounds for divorce. |
|
| Myth |
Wife
assault is not a widespread problem. |
| Fact |
In a
recent study, 1 in 5 Canadian men living with a woman admitted
to using violence against her. |
|
| Myth |
Alcohol
causes men to assault their partners. |
| Fact |
Alcohol
can make it easier for a man to be violent. However, the real
cause of wife assault is the batterer's desire for power and
control over his partner. Batterer's often use alcohol as an
excuse to avoid taking responsibility for their violent behaviour. |
|
| Myth |
Men
are abused by their partners as often as women are. |
| Fact |
More
than 92% of charges related to spousal assault in Ontario are
laid against men. Most charges laid against women are counter-charges
laid by assaultive partners or stem from acts of self-defense. |
|
| Myth |
Women
often provoke assaults and deserve what they get. |
| Fact |
No woman
ever deserves to be beaten. Assaulted woman report a wide range
of incidents that trigger violence. For example: "I fried
his eggs the wrong way," "I didn't turn down the radio
enough," or "I went out with my friends without asking
his permission." Abusive men often claim their partner
provoked an assault to avoid responsibility for power and control
over his partner. |
|
